darling

[dahr-ling] / ˈdɑr lɪŋ /

NOUN

sweetheart, favorite person

Synonyms

STRONG

angel baby beloved boyfriend dear dearest dearie flame friend girlfriend love lover pet sugar sweetie treasure truelove

WEAK

apple of one's eye dear one fair-haired boy heart's desire honeybunch light of my life one and only precious

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But if fresh tomatoes are summer’s darling, sun-dried tomatoes are their moodier, more savory cousin.

From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026

McGinn is the darling of the Tartan Army, the 'Super John McGinn' song being as much a part of their world as kilts and bevvy.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Nvidia, the darling of the AI revolution, is worth 25 times.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

While OpenAI was the boom’s first darling, the corporate chaos exposed by the courtroom drama with Musk only reinforces why it is losing steam.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

“Clara, darling, do you mind telling the crowd why we have gathered here today?”

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Vocabulary lists containing darling

Love Letter Words for Valentine's Day

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Sonnet 18

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Abbey Road

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